CD2

I have NEVER been so happy to start a period. This period is special because it was seemingly started by clomid, which means that perhaps I did ovulate on 50 mg after all!

Of course being pregnant would be a huge victory. But as this is my first non-provera-induced period since November of 2009 -- and apparently my first ovulatory cycle since February 2002 when I started the BCP -- it's a victory in it's own right. And I feel victorious.

I'm hopeful that maybe my ovaries can learn to cooperate after all.

The timing is a bit unfortunate, as the flow really started at about 4:40 on Friday, 10 minutes after Dr. Lovely's office closed. And she had mentioned perhaps starting 100 mg of clomid on CD3 this time around, but since Monday will already be CD4, we're going to miss that train. I'm trying not to freak out about that.

I'm also a little confused...if my cycle lasted 33 days, wouldn't it follow that I ovulated near CD17? Then why did I have ovulatory symptoms on CD24ish? I'm trying not to worry about funky luteal phases and such, and just be happy with my baby step in the right direction. It's appalling how little I know about my own cycle, and that's because I was a child the last time I had my own non-hormone-induced cycle.

I know in the coming months that CD1 will be a heartwrenching day. But this time around it's cause for celebration : )

decoding the symptoms

Last night my nipples were so sore that it hurt to lie down on my stomach in bed. Today I have some serious clear/white discharge going on *down there*. I also have painful rumblings in my abdomen which could either be menstrual cramps or just more of the same uncomfortable constipation I’ve had since Saturday (skipped class last night and still never went you-know-what, darnit).

So I sent A a super romantic email today:

I feel like there might be a miniscule chance I’m ovulating. We should go up stairs tonight just in case. Sound like a plan? : )

I know, I know - men and women all over the world are swooning at my seductive skills. Don’t you wish your girlfriend was infertile like me?

Today is CD24, which would mean a pretty late ovulation if that’s what this is. It could also be PMS (don’t forget on Sunday I had some serious hormones going on, including THE RAGE). If it’s PMS I’m going to take that as a good sign. If I actually have a non-Provera-induced-period, I’d have to think that’s a step forward.

I remember about a week before we were scheduled to start Provera for this cycle, I had similar symptoms. Sore nips and vague could-be-cramp feelings. I didn’t write it down, but now I’m guessing that was around September 9, maybe? And then I was surprised that my period came on Day 5 of Provera, which would have been 10 days after the symptoms. Is it possible these are ovulation signs? Or is that just being too hopeful?

I have some leftover OPKs at home and in a fit of optimism I took one on CD 13 or 14. It was negative, although the line was *almost* as dark as the control. The next day I took another one and there were two lines; however, I had thrown out the box this brand came in and didn’t know which window was the control…haha! I’m a pretty terrible infertile.

I had to stop by the drugstore over my lunch break (and by had to, I mean I needed candy), and I debated all the way there about whether or not I should buy some more OPKs. I decided not to. There’s a risk of a false positive due to the PCOS anyway, so no use getting my hopes up. Plus, if I am ovulating now, I should have taken the test on Sunday or Monday.

I did break down and buy some HPTs. Sigh. What a terrible weakening of willpower that was. These odd symptoms aside, this Saturday is CD28, which would be a great time to test if indeed this had been a normal 28 day cycle. (Oh! That’s funny!) So I thought maybe I should have some HPTs at home – plus, I’m supposed to call the doctor next Friday (CD 34) with the results of a HPT, so I’ll definitely need one then. If it’s positive (I’m crying, I’m laughing so hard!) then I’ll get prenatals and such, if it’s negative, I’ll get more Provera and get to start this clomid business over again with 100 mg.

Disappointment playlist by Lulu

1. Throw it all Away - Brandi Carlile
2. Tell Me There's a Reason - Girlyman
3. Devotion - Indigo Girls
4. Downpour - Brandi Carlile
5. The Story - Brandi Carlile
6. Yellow - Coldplay
7. Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve (high school, anyone?)
8. Poker Face (Glee Cast Version) - Glee Cast (only if you're a lame Gleek like me -- I don't think the Lady Gaga version will do the trick)
9. Let Me Go Easy - Indigo Girls
10. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season) - The Byrds
11. Ob La Di, Ob La Da - The Beatles
12. Breathless - Taylor Swift (shut up)
13. Become You - Indigo Girls
14. Let it Be - The Beatles
15. Over The Rainbow (Glee Cast Version)

This is the CD I made on Wednesday after the disappointing ultra sound. It has a couple of other songs on there, but they don't really fit. It starts out nice and slow and depressing (so you can get in a good cry) and by the end you're feeling like life is okay, after all.

Happy listening!

bummertown, population: me

It has been a really disappointing day. The last thing I want to do tonight is read blogs or twitter posts, or inspiring, uplifting quotes about how when life gets tough you just have to work harder and smile brighter and things will be better.

Because the truth is sometimes things are completely out of your control. And sitting and waiting for them to work themselves out can be excruciating.

So tonight I want to sit around, watch “Glee”, eat chocolate, and maybe entertain a small pity party.

I’m so frustrated that this cycle was basically a huge waste of time. And now I’ve signed up for at least another month of sitting around waiting and feeling helpless, with no guarantee anything will be different at the end of that month. It hurts. And it’s becoming clear that there is no quick fix for this situation and we might be looking at a much longer path than I thought.

So here’s a list of things to be thankful for this shitty experience:

• During the ultrasound, the tech said “I don’t think we got the right dosage of clomid”. Thus, taking responsibility for this wasted cycle (on behalf of the doctor’s office) and being tactful enough not to say or imply something was wrong with me or my body.
• I won’t be hugely pregnant on our cruise.
• The ultrasound tech sat and talked to me and answered all my questions.
• I did get a good laugh when she told us to have sex every 36 hours for the next 20 days, “just in case”. Who in the hell has time for that, I ask you?
• I have a sweet supportive husband who went with me to my appointment and helped me bear the bad news, even if it is exhausting to watch someone trying to cheer you up with so much determination.

TODAY, TODAY, TODAY

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow is no longer creeping at a petty pace because my ultrasound has been moved to TODAY at 3:30. Momentary freakout there when the voicemail said that they could schedule me for Monday – AWESOME, what good is a day 16 ultrasound going to do for me, dumbass? She swore up and down that the ultrasound on day 11 will be just as useful as the ultrasound on day 12, so let’s hope she’s right.

Now I’ll proceed to be a bundle of nerves for the next two hours. I’m so keyed up I could cry at the drop of a hat.

Please follicles, do the right thing, grow grow grow!

petty pace

I thought about posting today because I’m all hyped up about my appointment tomorrow. This week has all sorts of stuff going on but I seem incapable of thinking of any of them besides 3:30 on Thursday. So all I could think to write here was “tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow”, and that made me remember this excerpt from Macbeth that we had to memorize my junior year of high school

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Really this doesn’t apply to my life at all, except the first two lines really resonate with me. “Creeps in this petty pace from day to day” indeed.

Now.

I am having a hard time today. After the news yesterday (basically that the doctor’s office is considering these three cycles a “trial an error” time for my clomid dosage, while Andy and I were considering them PLEASE LET’S TRY TO GET PREGNANT THE NORMAL WAY [yes, in all caps like that]) I just feel bad. I don’t like the feeling that a nurse/doctor combo is in charge of directing my (unproductive) childbearing attempts, especially when I don’t trust the nurse/doctor combo (and it's Nurse Useless in charge of the show).

I feel completely out of the loop – like this is between my doctor and my ovaries and I don’t get a vote or get to be clued in. No one at that office cares about my feelings, or the fact that I find it impossible now to lead a normal life and think of normal things without the neverending blaring of the infertility album (featuring the tracks “it’s never going to happen” “you’re not like other people” and “you’ve only just begun this horrible journey”) playing in my head. The hard truth is that my doctor is in the business of helping pregnant women have babies, not helping infertile women get pregnant with them.

And the more discouraged I get the more the world seems to be divided into “us” and them. “Us” being me and the other infertiles whose blogs I read, and “them” meaning everyone else around me who has babies with ease and without 100 frustrating phone conversations with Nurse Useless before the conception part even happens. The truth is I’ve barely started treatment and I’ve already spent longer trying to get pregnant than I will spend being pregnant. And who knows how long the road is ahead of me.

I know there are bright sides. I know there’s still a chance this cycle will work. And even if it doesn’t, I know there’s a chance future cycles will, or that IUI will. And even if we do have to do IVF, I feel incredibly fortunate to live in Illinois where it’s a mandated coverage and instead of paying $10,000 for a cycle I will only have to pay $1,000. I know that being negative isn’t going to help my chances any, and that worrying is a pointless use of energy. But damnit, I’m tired of everyone else making all the decisions and I want to be pregnant now. Is that too much to ask?

Oh for the love of God

File today under “Nurse Useless pisses me off”. That file is getting quite thick.

Basically, to them, it's a practice cycle. Would have been nice to know that.

Here’s to hoping this cycle is going to be something remotely resembling “productive”. If I don’t ovulate I’ll just consider it more of the usual – read: Giant Waste of Time.

How’s that for a positive attitude? : D

CD1

Well it looks like my body is just as eager as I am to get this cycle going…and I guess I’m summoning my inner overachiever here. I started my period before I even took my last provera. So welcome to CD 1 ladies and gentelmen.

That means I start clomid on Thursday and will go in either next Thursday or Friday for my ultrasound.

I realized today that I don’t have any pregnancy tests in the house, and I think I’d like to keep it that way. No use buying them until at least a few days post-ovulation. I know if I have them I’ll just freak out and take one way too early.

So, dear uterus, since you have been so cooperative already, I will reward you by a long afternoon of curling up in bed and watching Glee!